New Toyota Hilux: This Is Toyota's First Electric Pickup Truck

[E90400K]

Sadly, I think many interpret that to mean they can cross anywhere and don’t even have to look, just step out and go.
as a driver I can surely respect a crosswalk, so should pedestrian.

That is what exactly happened to me in California. The law in 1985 was if there is a pedestrian on standing on the curb at a crosswalk, they can step out into traffic, and the traffic has to stop. I had been in the state of California an entirety of 14 hours when this happened. Years later when I flew into SFO I noticed a sign hanging from the ceiling that said something to the effect "Since you are entering the State of California, you are responsible to know the laws of California". I laughed to myself, "Yeah, No Shit!"

 

[KevinRS]

The thing is streets were originally for both pedestrians and vehicles, the later citations for crossing where there isn't a crosswalk, "Jaywalking" were supposed to only be when there wasn't a marked crosswalk or intersection within a certain distance, and they were often selectively enforced, even recently, based on race. Cases in Beverly Hills, black people crossing got cited, while white people cross at the same location in front of officers without anyone even saying anything are part of the reason the jaywalking laws got overridden at the state level. Part of it is that any corner, even without a marked crosswalk, is an unmarked crosswalk unless there is signage saying not to cross there and to cross somewhere else.

Bicycles are supposed to use the road if there isn't a bicycle lane, and have the right of way there, though they are supposed to follow vehicle rules like signaling turns. In most areas because few pedestrians or bicyclists used those rights, drivers forgot they had them, and threaten to run them over, thinking the motor vehicle has priority right of way.

This all goes back to when the roads were shared between people on horses and on foot, and when cars were added to the mix. Yes as a pedestrian if you walk out in front of a car too close to stop you can be found at fault, but so are drivers who refuse to stop when they can see someone waiting to cross. There is an expectation that common sense will be used, both on the road and in the courts. Pedestrians can't expect cars to stop on a dime, and drivers need to allow pedestrians to cross.

 

[E90400K]

This makes so much sense...

 

[GaRailroader]

There is different respect for crosswalks in different areas. While visiting Boston I was surprised at how often cars would stop at a crosswalk because I looked like I wanted to cross there. I normally wait until it is clear and then cross when I have the right of way and I am not forcing a car to stop. If these Bostonian pedestrians come to Atlanta they are going to get run over. Unless it is signalled, Atlantans expect pedestrians to not be in the crosswalk when it is not clear.

I recall a cab ride from LaGuardia to Manhattan. The cab driver drove on the sidewalk leaving LaGuardia to get around parked cars to prove to me he was a true cabbie even though he spoke English. He cut through one of the boros to avoid tolls and was on the horn when a pedestrian was in the crosswalk up ahead, signaling to them to get out of the crosswalk. He said to me, ‘these pedestrians tell me they have the right of way, I tell them to tell that to the ambulance driver.’